


Sounds Perfect

by ami_ven



Series: How About Forever [7]
Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Community: mcsheplets, Kid Fic, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-02
Updated: 2015-03-02
Packaged: 2018-03-15 23:10:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3465518
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ami_ven/pseuds/ami_ven
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Perfect music isn’t always flawless.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sounds Perfect

**Author's Note:**

> written for LJ community "mcsheplets" prompt #196 "music"

The song was played at about half the usual tempo, about a third of the notes sharp or flat or off by one key, but it was still clearly “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”.

John leaned in the doorway, watching Zoe play with an intense look of concentration on her face. He had no idea if she was doing well or not, for a five-year-old, but underneath all that focus was a genuine enjoyment, and that was enough for him.

It was obviously enough for Rodney, too, sitting on the piano bench beside their daughter, nodding along with every right note. When she finished, slowing down even more but adding a flourish that even John knew wasn’t anywhere on the sheet music, Rodney beamed at her.

“That was better,” he said, “much better. And you kept going this time, even when you hit some wrong notes. Good work, Zoe.”

“And nice ending,” John added.

“I made that part up,” Zoe said, proudly. “Do you want to hear the song again?”

John moved to lean on the upright piano, his thigh pressed against Rodney’s hip. “Sure, kiddo,” he said. “Any more notes from the teacher before you start?”

“Well…” said Rodney.

He’d been worried when Zoe had first shown interest in learning the piano, scared that his own haphazard return to playing wouldn’t lent to him being able to teach Zoe how to play, but it had. Rodney was a fantastic teacher, more patient than either of them had expected him to be and balancing every correction with genuine praise.

“Well,” Rodney said again. “Your mother—”

“Hey,” John protested, but by now it was entirely for show. Zoe had been calling him ‘Mom’ since she had learned how to talk, and he didn’t have much chance of changing that now, five years in. Besides, after spending over a year as a woman to have the kid, it was kind of fitting— even if he’d never admit that out loud.

“—loves fast things,” Rodney continued, ignoring him. “Why don’t you play it again, as fast as you can?”

“Good idea, Daddy,” said Zoe, grinning. “I’ll play as fast as Mom can fly!”

“Maybe not that fast,” Rodney warned, and John leaned against him, warm and solid.

The second round of the song had twice as many wrong notes, but watching the grin on his daughter’s face, John thought it was perfect.

THE END


End file.
